Fred, borrowing CDs from the library is good for getting an idea about the specific music involved, but the performance and the sound quality on the disc are also very important and could lead to disappointment that wouldn't happen with the same music, but better performance and sound. The point is that it isn't helpful sometimes to buy or borrow a disc just because it happens to contain certain musical compositions. Some have scores of different CDs available, and they vary widely in quality, with resulting musical enjoyment also varying.

This is a vast question as "classical music" encompasses 1000 years and varies greatly in terms of style and audiences. If you want to have "samplers" and then start narrowing down, I'll try to type a few (going for diversity).

Sometimes you don't have, or can't remember the words to describe what you are looking for.

I have been exposed to Orchestral and some chamber music. The orchestral is largely what my parents listened to;most likely Mozart, Bethoven, Bach...

I have very much enjoyed some of the Symphonies I have listened to. I have also enjoyed some pieces for Cello.I really like the sound of the Cello.

At the moment I am listening to Folies, Les Voix Humains picked up based on the piece Les Folies d'Espagne, which I listened to on the radio on a most beautiful winter day while on my way to Axiom for an audition. Oh my. Such a rich sound!!

I had never heard of the Viola da Gambe until I listened to this piece.

I also picked up (from the library) Bach the Cello Suites, Steven Iserlis

_________________________
Fred

-------Blujays1: Spending Fred's money one bottle at a time, no two... Oh crap!

Fred, the mention of a musical instrument doesn't usually bring a specific recording immediately to mind, but your mention of the cello does here. The Dvorak Cello Concerto is considered by many(including me)to be the finest of the cello concertos, and of course there're several fine recordings available. However, outstanding is the performance by Pierre Fournier on a disc which also includes Bloch's haunting Schelomo and Bruch's Kol Nidrei. And there're practically giving it away!